One of the newest additions to my music roster is a playlist of favorite songs from games. It’s something that was a long time coming, too! I listen to gaming soundtracks regularly, but until recently, I had never put together a playlist of individual songs from them that stood out from the rest. It contains loads of old favorites, from Fable’s “Temple of Light” theme to the haunting sounds of the Phendrana Drifts in Metroid Prime; from the to the home screen theme of Mass Effect to Skyrim’s “Secunda.” I’ve been working to update the playlist with new (and new-to-me) songs, including the one’s listed below. These are most-played new songs on my gaming playlist!
Final Fantasy XIV – “Liberty or Death” (Ala Mhigo theme)
Earlier this year, I returned to Final Fantasy XIV and began its Stormblood expansion. While I was a bit lukewarm on its content and story line, its soundtrack really caught my attention. I could have chosen any almost any one of Stormblood’s dedicated songs, many of which signal battle and revolution, but Ala Mhigo’s sweeping theme, “Liberty or Death,” hit all the right spots.
South of Midnight – “Shakin’ Bones”
South of Midnight might constitute my most favorite soundtrack of the year – it has everything from exciting rhythms to magical blues. My favorite track is this one from ferryman “Shakin’ Bones,” formerly Waylon James, a musician who died while seeking freedom. In the game, his musical spirit and fight live on, as he ferries others to find their own freedom. The song is an easy-going exercise in storytelling and soul.
Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice – “Pursuit ~ Cornering Together”
This year marked my completion of Apollo Justice: Ace Attorney Trilogy. It’s final game, Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney – Spirit of Justice, was a rousing end to the series, and it had an excellent soundtrack, besides. I’ve been listening to it on repeat since finishing the game, but as far as individual tracks go, “Pursuit ~ Cornering Together” rose to the top. It’s fast, heated pace recalls players eking out those nail-biting wins when defeat seemed imminent. It’s the perfect song for lighting a fire of motivation!
Herdling – “Herdling”
In games without words, the quality of the soundtrack may make or break the experience of playing them. The former was definitely the case in the excellent Herdling. It has a soundtrack that’s so cohesive, it feels like a single composition, brilliant in form and style. Because of this, I don’t know that the main theme, “Herdling,” necessarily towers above the rest of the soundtrack, but it’s the song I kept coming back to over and over because of its beautiful simplicity and the wonderful memories it stirred.
Street Fighter 6 – “Kurikinton” (Terry’s Theme)
I’ll admit that it took me a while to fully warm up to Street Fighter 6’s general soundtrack, but once I started really engaging with it (mostly by forcing myself the listen to it outside of the game), it’s unique qualities began to shine. Its character themes, overall, are especially fun, with nearly all of them calling to mind their respective fighters. Of the new fighters added to the game this year, I took a special liking to Terry’s snazzy, jazzy theme, “Kurikinton.” Sure, I’m a sucker for horns, and portions of the music might be reminiscent of a 1970s cop show, but it’s altogether fantastic from start to finish.
Lede image was captured by author during Xbox Series S gameplay of South of Midnight (© Compulsion Games).
VIRTUAL BASTION 